Habs sign goalie Nathan Lawson to a one-year contract

MONTREAL – Montreal Canadiens general manager Pierre Gauthier announced Tuesday the signing of goaltender Nathan Lawson to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2011-12 season. As per club policy, financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Lawson, 27, played his first 10 NHL games with the New York Islanders in 2010-11, posting a 1-4-2 record, a 4.06 goals against average and a .893 save percentage. He spent most of the season with the Islanders’ development team in the American Hockey League (AHL), suiting up for 16 games with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. He recorded 6 wins, 5 losses and 4 shootout losses, with a 2.90 GAA and a .913 save percentage.

A native of Calgary, Alberta, Lawson played a total of 83 games in the AHL over the past three seasons, posting a 41-30-9 record with a 2.46 GAA and a .922 save percentage. Lawson ranked second in the AHL in terms of save percentage in 2008-09 (.927) and in 2009-10 (.922), both seasons with Bridgeport.

The 6’2’’, 203-pound goaltender played 75 games between 2004 and 2007 with the WCHA Alaska Anchorage Seawolves.